Check-hook and rein-piece.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

T. L. COOPER.

CHECK HOOK AND REIN PIECE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, 1902.

H0 MODEL,

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- saddle of an ordinary harness.

UNlTED STATES iPatented August 13, 1903.

TRACY L. COOPER, OF,COLLINS, IOWA.

CHECK-HOOK AND REIN-PIECE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,498, dated August 18, 1903.

Application filed October 11, 1902. Serial No. 126,952. (To model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TRACY L. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Collins, in the county of Story and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Check-Post and Rein-Piece, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide a check-post and rein-piece of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction which can be attached readily to the ordinary checkrein and harness-saddle.

A further object is to provide a checkreinpiece which when attached at the rear end to the ordinary checkrein will provide an absolute lock for the checkrein to the saddle, and thus will prevent the constant unhooking of the checkrein which is so often prevalent in the common device now in use.

A further object is to provide a checkreinpiece which can be readily and easily attached to the device on the saddle-body by simply pressing the projecting portions of two pivoted levers in a direction toward each other.

Further, it is my object to provide a device which can easily be operated and which can be manufactured at a minimum expense.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete device. Fig; 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rein-piece and shows the way in which the rein-piece is attached to the saddle. Fig. 3 is a top view of the checkrein-piece with the top portion thereof removed to show the springs on the interior or body portion of the device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the numeral to indicate an ordinary checkrein and the reference-numeral 11 to indicate a post which is mounted on the This post is near its top portion.

tion of this post is pointed for purposeshere inafter made clear.

The rein-piece 12 is designed to be attached to the checkrein 10 by means of the loop 13, at the forward end thereof, said loop being cast integral with the body portion of the checkrein-piece. This body portion of the checkrein-piece comprises the bottom 14, the sides and 16, and the end portions 17 and 18. Said sides and end portions are ar ranged substantially at right angles to the bottom portion and integral with it, extending upwardly therefrom. The sides 15 and 16, each extend throughout the entire length of the body portion between the ends 17 and 18,

but near the forward end thereof a portion is cut away to allow the retaining-levers to project through these openings in the sides for purposes hereinafter made clear.

Detachably connected with the bottom portion 14: and immediately above the sides 15 and 16 and the end portions 17 and 18 is the top portion 19, said top portion 19 being held firmly to the bottom portion by means of the rivets 20, 21, and 22. The rivet 20 is near the end 17, and the rivets 21 and 22 are a slight distance in front of the middle portion of the bottom 1 1 and the top 19 of the checkreinpiece.

Pivotally mounted between the bottom 14 and the top 19 are the retaining-levers 23 and 24, said levers being mounted on the rivets 21 and 22, which in this case form the pivotal points of these levers. Projecting substantially at right angles to the levers 23 and 24, outside of the sides 15 and 16 on the checkrein-piece, are the projections 25 and 26 of said levers. These projections extend away from each other and are designed to be pressed inwardly toward each other in order toswing the rear end of the levers 23 and 2 1 outwardly. These levers 23 and 2 1 are limited in their inward movement by means of the rivet 20, which engages the forward ends thereof. Between the levers 23 and 24 I have mounted the leaf-spring 27. This spring is designed to force the forward ends of the levers 23 and 24 away from each other, and thus force the rear ends of the levers toward each other against the rivet 20, which limits their inward movement. I have provided the adjusting screw 29 between the portions of the spring 27, so that the tension of the spring can be adjusted as desired. As the adjusting-screw is turned in one direction the forward ends of the leaf-spring will be forced apart, and thus cause a great tension in this spring. In Fig. 3 of the drawings the leaf-spring is shown with the least amount of tension possible, so that a great amount of tension is had by turning the screw so as to force the forward ends of this leaf-spring apart.

Near the extreme rear end of the checkreinpiece I have provided an opening 30, said opening being designed to admit the post 11 into it, and as said post 11 is pointed at its upper extremity by placing the opening over the top portion of the post 11 this top portion will come into engagement with the levers 23 and 24, and as the checkrein-piece is forced downwardly upon this post 11 the rear ends of the levers will be forced apart, and thus permit the post 11 to come between these 1evers, and the checkrein-piece will be retained on the post 11 when these levers enter the annular groove 12 in said post. The checkreinpiece will be retained by this means in its position relative to the post 11.

When it is desired to remove the checkrein-piece from the post 11, this can be done by simply pushing the projections 25 and 26 on the levers 23 and 24 in a direction toward each other, and thus forcing the rear ends of the levers out of engagement with the post 11. The operator then raises the checkrein-piece from off the' post.

It is to be understood throughout this description that in referring to the front of the checkrein-piece I mean that portion of the device which is to be attached to the checkrein and when I refer to the rear of the device it is that portion which is nearest the is adjusted saddle having an annular groove encircling said post, a checkrein-piece having a loop in its forward end and a circular opening extending through it at its rear end designed to admit said post, retaining-levers pivotally mounted in said check'rein piece the rear ends of the levers being designed to enter said annular groove, projections on the rear of said levers, a spring mounted between said levers for forcing their rear ends toward each other, a rivet to limit the inward movement of the forward ends of said levers and means for adjusting the tension of said spring, for the purposes stated.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a post mounted on a harnesssaddle having an annular groove encircling said post, a conical top for said post, a checkrein-piece having a loop in its forward end and a circular opening extending through it at its rear end designed totadmit said post, retaining-levers pivotally mounted in said checkrein-piece the rear ends of the levers being designed to enter said annular groove, projections on the rear of said levers, a spring mounted between said levers for forcing their rear ends toward each other, a rivet to limit the inward movement of the forward ends of said levers and means for adjusting the tension of said spring, for the purposes stated.

TRACY L. COOPER. Witnesses:

R. W. SANDERS, H. P. COOPER. 

